Why Jags' front office may have to end Blake Bortles era soon

After the Jacksonville Jaguars’ heartbreaking loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers Sunday, fans have been left to wonder what went wrong with the team after the 2017 season, when they came within minutes of a Super Bowl trip. And though there is no easy way to answer that, it’s becoming clearer by the week that the Jags made several bad decisions this offseason and prior that are finally starting to surface.

Most fans agree that signing quarterback Blake Bortles to a three-year extension certainly belongs atop the list of bad decisions made by the current regime, as it now appears he’s not the answer for their franchise. Despite that extension, there are some who feel that continuing with the fifth-year veteran past this season could have severe consequences, including former Florida Times-Union writer Vito Stellino.

After Sunday’s game he chimed in on an issue that resonated with plenty of fans: whether staying the course with Bortles and the offense would turn fans away after 2018.

For a team desperate for revenue sources, they have to think what effect on ticket sales will be if they bring Bortles back. And time to trash this run first philosophy to protect QB and find a QB who wins games. It's a passing league now.

The problem with that is he doesn’t have the product on the field to warrant an increase in Jags revenue. Without having the answer — or at least consistent play — at the most important position in football, it will be hard to maximize revenue regardless of where the Jags play.

Simply put, after five years of watching the team play, Khan’s patience with Bortles may be wearing thin. As a businessman he has to know the fans ultimately won’t accept it either, which could hurt all the progress the Jags have made in terms of ticket sales. For that reason, it could force his hand to get involved with the draft process, which he likely has done in the past.

The 2014 selection of Bortles, who played at Central Florida, may be proof the Jags aim for the splash signings that excite the local fan base. Additionally, it may not be a coincidence that the Jags have also drafted three other first-round players out of Florida universities. To put that in perspective, four of Dave Caldwell’s six first-round selections came from Florida schools. That’s enough to make you wonder if the eighth-year owner has his hands in the selection process, too.

Considering all of the above, Jags fans may be in store for a change at quarterback next season not just because of the effect on sales, but also because it’s time to explore other options after five years of little progress from Bortles. Basically, it’s a change that would be a win-win for everyone as it could have a positive impact on the team’s performance, revenue and the fan base if addressed correctly.

As for Bortles, it certainly isn’t out of the realm of possibilities that he could be returning in 2019 as he will be a $21 million cap hit next season. On top of that, Caldwell seems to believe in him. However, Khan knows as well as anyone that keeping Bortles as a starter will almost certainly have a negative impact on the fan base. That could lead to a dispute between ownership and management, and the odds of ownership winning that battle are very high.

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